questions about 2000 Air Nautique with GT-40

ok im new to the wakeboard boats. right now im looking at a 2000 air nautique with a gt-40 in it. how is the hull design and pro and cons about the boat itself?

Judd,
I just bought one last fall. I've been out in it one time so far and all I can say is I love it. A well built boat from a good company, nice wake, or maybe I should say great wake. If you were to read other threads about these boats all the people who have them really like them.

I think the only con I would say I can think of is the rear storge area with the ballast tanks installed they take any from the storage. I drove an xstar before buying mine and the xstar was a bit faster and the wake seems close by comparison, but I thought the boat quality was a bit better. Others may feel differently, you'll need to test drive it and see for yourself I don't think you can go wrong.

Does the one your looking at have all the toys you want?

yes everything i was just wondering how they road

Judd,
Storage is an issue with the super air tanks, but in my opinion, the stock wake on an x-star (02 older) doesn't even compare.

I'll be satisfied when these fools start builing the tanks under the floor like the 03 x-star. Why not???

By the way, I'm not trying to start the neverending wake opinion war. I agree with Aaron, buy what YOU like!

im lookin at a normal air or pro air.....are the hulls the same on both?

Judd,
I think the pro air has a differnt hull. And the ride you asked about is great. I always thought the direct drives and vdrive types took the rough water bad. Wrong.. The drive right through it.. Drive one man!

Actually the air and pro air hulls are a little different. They added something extra to the pro air hull around the 2000 model to beef up the wake. It didn't work, so they only did it for a year or 2. Search the discussion board for this, I'm sure it has been discussed here before.

I highly recommend you check out a super air also, if you're already in that price range.

well there are so many options i ahve no clue where to start

I got to ride/drive behind a 99 Air Nautique with a GT-40 a couple of weeks ago, my buddy just got one.

I know I'm going to catch crap for this, but, here's my take.

The set-up:

500 in the bow
400's on each side of the motor
500 in back
Total: 1800 lbs+ 3 people.

Pros:
1. The wake was absolutely sick!!
2. It ran
3. it floated

Cons:
1. It took FOREVER to plane even at full throttle.
2. Even with only 3 people we were tripping over each other and gear all day. so, no storage.
4. It rode like a seatless uni-cycle on a washboard road in rough water.
5. I had to muscle the wheel to keep the boat straight. It wanted to crank hard to the left.
6. At one point I was 3/4 of the way through the turn in a double-up when all of the sudden the boat tipped far enough that I almost fell out of the drivers chair. The turn was medium in size and smooth. I thought that the rider was on the inside of the boat and had yanked the rope goofing around. When I looked back he had a scared look on his face and he was right behind the boat. Never did find out what that was all about.

I can't believe he paid almost 30k for that thing.

[EDIT] Something else I just remembered, the wake was really narrow. It's fine though, we just added two take-offs to his rope.

B-




(Message edited by Barry on May 20, 2003)

gt40 is a proven great motor

Barry,
Sounds like that boat may have been over loaded.

Barry, even the SAN's do that "chining" thing in a turn. You have to turn a little wider sometimes to correct it. It doesn't bother me, I just give it a little more throttle and hold on. It does it on one side more often than the other.

I do love the GT-40 though, it planes out my SAN with about 2000lbs plus people really well.

I have a 2000 Air Nautique and so far I love mine. This boat isn't the best of either sport (wakeboarding or skiing), but it is very, VERY good if you do some of each.

What Barry was saying about the turns happens when you put too much weight in the front. When I have two people sitting in the bow, turning is sometimes tricky, and I agree, it kinda scary the first time it happens. But, it is easily avoidable, if you learn how the boat responds.

I often carry 5 people, I never have a problem with the storage (and I don't use the truck or the ski locker because they have fat sacs in them). We stuff all our "dry" gear on the floor the bow area (center bow seat is left at home) and the wet gear behind the driver. All the boards and skiis are on racks. The passenger seat stroage has plenty of room for extra stuff as well.

I had an oil leak in my GT40, and have heard of others having the same problem. Mine was covered under warrenty, and being a 2000, the boat you are looking at may still be covered. It is NOT a common thing, but it has happened. Also, that year was the first year that had the smart pod. I had one of mine replaced under warranty.

Correct Craft does stand behind their boats 110%, so if you do have any problems, chances are your local dealer will make it right.

Good luck.

I just sold my 2000 Air Nautique last March. It was a GREAT boat! My son insisted that he had to have the Super Air Nautique so I "upgraded". The SAN is nice, and the wake is bigger, but I still miss the old boat.

If wakeboarding is the only thing you do and you can part with the extra money, get a v-drive boat. If you want to pull water skiers then the Air Nautique is a great compromise. Get the built in ballast tanks and add a fat sack and it will do great.

Last summer I rode in a 98 Air and I thought it was awesome. Our setup was: 400 lb stock ballast, 500 lb fat sac in trunk, 500 lb fat sac behind motor box, and 500 lb fat sac in ski locker, plus 5 large guys. The wake was awesome and the boat had no problem coming straight up to plane. I never noticed any handling problems, the only thing I had to be careful of was stopping too fast as the tidal wave would come over the rear of the boat, or dipping the nose over rollers while idling. Other than that though, the boat was awesome.

Jb